EDU 603 Blog Post #3

Part One

Unit: Modes of Transportation

Grade: PreKindergarten/Kindergarten (ages 4 & 5)

Performance task: Designing a Transportation Vehicle

G.R.A.S.P.S Performance Tasks:

Goal: The goal is for students to design and create a unique vehicle (car or truck) using available materials (cardboard box, paint, scissors, paper plates, tape, etc.).

Role: Children will imagine themselves as a transportation engineer or designer responsible for creating a safe vehicle.

Audience: Their fellow homeschool peers and family members.

Situation: After reading various books on modes of

transportation and visiting a transportation hub, the children will be tasked with designing a vehicle to help young children travel comfortably and safely. The children will consider their needs, such as ease of getting in and out, comfort during the ride, and the ability to carry small belongings.

Performance: Children will create a drawing or prototype of their vehicle. They will use materials like paper, cardboard, or other craft supplies to bring their design to life. Their designs can include features like colorful interiors, soft seating, safety belts, and control buttons.

Standards:

SE.60.13 Demonstrate increased confidence and a willingness to take risks when attempting new tasks and making decisions regarding activities and materials.

SE.60.14 Show pride in accomplishments and abilities.

CA.60.5 Use a variety of tools and materials to represent ideas through the visual arts.

CA.60.7 Use materials and props in unique ways and are creative in finding and using materials as props desired for dramatic play.

M.60.10 Begin to use strategies to determine measurable attributes (length or capacity of objects). May use comparison, standard or non-standard measurement tools.

M.60.13 Use relational vocabulary of proximity (e.g., beside, next to, between, above, below, over and under) to idenfify and describe the location of an object.

Part Two: Standards and Criteria for Success

Standards	Proficient	Progressing	Developing
​SE.60.13 Demonstrate increased confidence and a willingness to take risks when attempting new tasks and making decisions regarding activities and materials.	The student consistently demonstrates high confidence and is willing to take risks when constructing their vehicle. The student eagerly explores different ways to build and decorate their cardboard box vehicle, showing adaptability and self-assurance.	The student is beginning to demonstrate increased confidence and a growing willingness to take risks when constructing their vehicle. The student is starting to explore different ways to build and decorate their cardboard box vehicle but may still need some guidance and support. The student shows curiosity and a desire to learn but may require encouragement to step out of their comfort zone.	The student needs help with confidence and is hesitant to take risks when constructing their vehicle. The student may fear making mistakes or be reluctant to try new ideas. Support and intervention are needed to help the student develop confidence and a willingness to take risks.
SE.60.14 Show pride in accomplishments and abilities.	The student consistently demonstrates a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities when constructing their vehicle. The student showcases confidence and self-assurance in their work, takes pride in exploring different ways to build and decorate their cardboard box vehicle, and eagerly shares their achievements with peers/others.	The student is starting to show pride in their accomplishments and abilities when constructing their vehicle. The student is beginning to recognize and appreciate their efforts and achievements. With guidance and support, the student develops a sense of pride in their work and becomes more comfortable sharing their accomplishments with peers/others.	The student struggles to show pride in their accomplishments and abilities when constructing their vehicle. The student may be hesitant to acknowledge and appreciate their efforts and achievements. Support and intervention are needed to help them develop a sense of pride in their work.
CA.60.5 Use a variety of tools and materials to represent ideas through the visual arts.	The student demonstrates high creativity and proficiency in using a wide range of tools and materials to express ideas in building their vehicle. The student displays a strong sense of innovation and originality in their artwork, showcasing a deep understanding of manipulating various materials to achieve desired outcomes.	The student competently uses various tools and materials to represent their ideas visually. The student can select appropriate materials and tools and effectively use them. Through exploration and practice, the student is developing proficiency in utilizing different tools and materials to express themselves artistically.	The student is beginning to explore and use different tools and materials to represent their ideas visually in building their vehicle. With guidance and instruction, the student is working towards developing their skills and understanding of effectively using various tools and materials to convey their ideas visually.
CA.60.7 Use materials and props in unique ways and are creative in finding and using materials as props desired for dramatic play.	The student exhibits a deep understanding of how to manipulate and transform materials to enhance their play experiences. The student's use of materials as props shows originality and innovation, and they effectively incorporate them into their dramatic play scenarios. The student consistently seeks out new materials and can think outside the box when finding and using materials as props.	The student is beginning to understand the concept of using materials as props and is starting to experiment with various materials in their play. The student may need guidance and support in finding and selecting appropriate materials. Still, they are actively exploring different options and showing a growing creativity in their use of props.	The student is beginning to explore the use of materials and props in their dramatic play. The student shows limited understanding of using materials creatively and relies on teacher guidance and prompts.
M.60.10 Begin to use strategies to determine measurable attributes (length or capacity of objects). May use comparison, standard or non-standard measurement tools.	The student can choose appropriate measurement tools and apply them accurately. The student can effectively use various measurement tools and techniques and show high accuracy in their measurements. The student demonstrates a solid understanding of measurement concepts and can select the most appropriate strategy for determining measurable attributes.	The student is beginning to understand the concept of measurement and exploring different strategies for measuring objects. The student may need guidance and support in selecting appropriate measurement tools and comparing objects. Still, they are experimenting with different methods and showing a growing understanding of determining measurable attributes.	The student is beginning to explore the use of strategies to determine measurable attributes of objects. The student shows a limited understanding of using different measurement tools or comparing objects based on their attributes. The student needs support from the teacher.
M.60.13 Use relational vocabulary of proximity (e.g., beside, next to, between, above, below, over and under) to idenfify and describe the location of an object.	The student consistently and accurately uses relational vocabulary (e.g., beside, next to, between, etc.) to describe objects' location and placement within their design. The student independently applies their knowledge of spatial concepts to create a well-designed vehicle.	The student occasionally uses relational vocabulary to describe the location and placement of objects within their design. The student may require some guidance or prompts to apply the vocabulary terms correctly. The student's design of the vehicle demonstrates some understanding of spatial concepts.	The student needs help to use relational vocabulary to describe the location and placement of objects within their design. The student requires support and guidance to identify and apply vocabulary terms.

Reflection

The authentic performance task of designing a vehicle relates directly to the unit study on modes of transportation as it allows students to apply their knowledge and understanding of different modes of transportation in a practical and hands-on way. By designing their vehicle, the students can demonstrate their understanding of spatial concepts, such as location and placement, using relationally descriptive language. Authentic assessments evaluate students' ability to apply knowledge and skills in real life. Moorcroft et al. (2000) stated that "authentic assessments are student-led, engaging, educational...and focus on developing understanding and applying knowledge, rather than assessing achievement alone" (para. 4).

This task will be meaningful for my homeschooled children within our specific context because it allows them to engage in a creative and interactive learning experience. My children will have the opportunity to explore their imagination and creativity by designing a vehicle while developing their fine motor skills. Furthermore, this task allows the children to deepen their understanding of the unit study on modes of transportation by actively applying what they have learned. Creating their vehicle will enable the children to make connections between the different modes of transportation they have studied and how they can be represented in a physical design.

To end this blog post, I leave you with this question:

What other authentic assessment tasks can be used for this unit study that will allow students to demonstrate their understanding of modes of transportation and showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills?

Reference

Moorcroft, T.A., Desmarais, K.H., Hogan, K., & Berkowitz, A.R. (2000). Authentic Assessment in the Informal Setting: How it Can Work For You. Journal of Environmental Education, 31(3), p.20. DOI: 10.1080/00958960009598641